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Montenegro should now focus entirely on the process of joining the European Union, said the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during her visit to Podgorica.
Asked how realistic the expectations are for Montenegro to become a member of the EU by 2030, von der Leyen said that there is no need to wait "if the conditions are met".
"There is no calendar for the EU membership process, but it is important to implement the reforms. I encourage Montenegro to cross that last mile and the doors will open," said von der Leyen at a joint press conference with Montenegrin President Jakov Millatovic.
The European official said that the enlargement process is among the top priorities of the EC, and Montenegro has for a long time been the country that has made the most progress on the path to membership. She praised Montenegro for adapting 100 percent to the EU's foreign and security policy.
Montenegro is the only country among the candidate countries that has opened all the chapters of the negotiations. However, since 2017, Podgorica has not closed any negotiating chapters. Last year's Brussels report said that the authorities in Montenegro had not shown commitment to the EU agenda.
President Jakov Millatović said he understands the EU's critical stance expressed in last year's EC report and in a resolution recently approved by the European Parliament.
"I hope that we have learned from this, in the sense that after a long period of unsatisfactory dynamics, the conditions have now been created to accelerate the process even more strongly." Millatović said that he is optimistic that Montenegro will become a member of the EU before 2030.
During his stay in Montenegro, von der Leyen will also meet with the new Prime Minister of Montenegro, Millojko Spajic. She will then continue her Balkan tour with visits to Belgrade and Sarajevo. Previously, von der Leyen visited North Macedonia and Kosovo./REL
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